This invention relates generally to aesthetically pleasing structural building elements for use in landscaping applications. More particularly, it relates to an improved form of landscape timber; one that is in a preselected modular form suitable for selection and use in building a wide variety of composite landscaping structures.
In the past landscape timbers have taken several different forms. One common form is the traditional treated railroad tie which is in an elongated rectangular cross sectional shape. They are normally treated with creosote for preservation purposes. When the typical home do-it-yourselfer elects to use the railroad tie as a landscape timber it will be purchased in the large heavy form and the homeowner/user must then decide how best to utilize the timbers. When smaller pieces are needed, the large railroad ties must be cut and the cutting operation is difficult for the average do-it-yourselfer. Not only is the timber heavy and difficult to handle but the creosote is dirty and soils clothes and the like. While the use of treated railroad ties serves the purpose for landscaping applications, composite structures will have relatively large flat surfaces without the appearance of more pleasing relatively smaller and rounded surfaces. In addition, when tying a plurality of the railroad ties together to form a preselected composite structure, the do-it-yourselfer will have to drill and then tie the pieces together with large spikes or nails. Sometimes long bolts and nut systems are used for joinder purposes. The common methods of joining the large rectangular pieces together are time consuming and difficult.
Another form of landscape timber is that usually produced from "peeler cores." A peeler core is the elongated circular wood piece left after a rotary veneer lathe has produced a ribbon of veneer from a larger "peeler block." Quite typically with today's machinery the peeler cores are in a diameter range around 4.0 inches. It is common to predetermine the peeler core diameter for purposes of end use applications of the cores, one such being conversion of the cores into landscape timbers. While circular members could be used for landscape timber applications, it is more common to machine two opposed flat surfaces into the wooden member to form a more versatile type of landscape timber construction element. While this form of landscape timber will usually be treated for perservation purposes, they will normally be treated with other treating compounds such as CCA rather than creosote. While these landscape timbers are not as dirty nor are they as heavy as treated railroad ties, they are still relatively heavy and difficult to fabricate into composite structures. They are typically sold as solid pieces although some distributors will provide a cut-to-length service for their customers provided the customer/do-it-yourselfer knows what to specify. One advantage to this form of landscape timber is its more pleasing appearance with rounded surfaces.
It has therefore been recognized that an improved form of landscape timber would be desirable for use and application by both do-it-yourselfers and professional landscapers. A landscape timber that is both aesthetically pleasing in appearance, easy to work with, and which is flexible in that multiple structural shapes are feasible are features embodied in the present invention.
The concept of the present invention involves the discovery that by cutting and predrilling machined peeler cores or the like into shorter modules and also rounding the ends they can, as individual presized modules, then be pinned or otherwise connected into a variety of patterns including curved edges, retaining walls, and other landscaping composite structures. In presized and predrilled modules the pieces become much easier for the average do-it-yourselfer to handle and fabricate into composite structures of choice. In other words the user has more freedom of design choice and once the design is selected an easier time when building it. After completion, the structure will be one having a very pleasing appearance in the context of the landscape where it resides.